An Oyo State High Court in Ogbomoso has ruled that the selection and installation of Oba Ghandi Olaoye as the new Soun of Ogbomoso is invalid.
The Oyo State Government had previously announced Olaoye as the new Soun, and the town’s kingmakers officially installed him on September 8, 2023.
In response to a legal challenge filed by Prince Kabir Olaoye, a contender for the Soun of Ogbomoso title, the court granted an ex-parte motion from Kabir.
In this ruling, Justice K.A. Adedokun prohibited the Governor, Attorney General, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in Oyo State from conducting any installation ceremony or presenting an instrument of office to Ghandi until a final court decision was reached.
Prince Kabir argued that Ghandi’s selection did not follow the due process outlined in the Ogbomoso chieftaincy declaration.
Consequently, he asked the court to annul Ghandi’s selection and installation, and requested that the kingmakers commence a new selection process.
In a recent judgment, Justice Adedokun sided with Prince Kabir, declaring Ghandi’s selection and installation as the Soun of Ogbomoso null and void. The court has instructed the kingmakers to initiate a fresh process to select a new monarch for the town.
